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This will bring new requirements onto the statute books, such as fining firms up to four per cent of annual turnover for breaching the GDPR, or €20m, whichever is greater, and a requirement for dedicated data protection officers in firms with over 250 employees.

"Post-Brexit, UK companies doing business in the EU, or with companies in the EU, will effectively have to comply with the GDPR in the same way that other non-EU companies must comply, such as when they aim goods or services at citizens in the EU, or provide hosting services for companies in the EU," he said.

UK firms would do well to assume that the GDPR will come into force as it currently is, whatever happens in the next few months in the UK.